Usually, I feed a need for a really good, old-style South Philly roast beef and broccoli rabe sandwich with a jaunt to the city's famed Tony Luke's on East Oregon Avenue.

Luckily, with the rising price of gas, I've discovered a place closer to home. But I'm afraid if I don't stop indulging in the heavenly roast beef sandwiches from Ioannoni's Specialty Sandwiches in New Castle, I'm going to have trouble buttoning my pants.

Various incarnations of Ioannoni (pronounce it eye-uh-known-ee) sandwich shops have popped up over the years in New Castle, says Mike Ioannoni, current keeper of the culinary flame. An uncle also once ran an Ioannoni's butcher shop that served cold cuts.

At the new sandwich place -- just across the road from William Penn High School -- Ioannoni is currently putting twists on some old family recipes.

A stickler for everything homemade, Mike Ioannoni roasts his own beef, pork and turkey. Meatballs are blended and rolled in-house and, at his father John's insistence, he even cranks out sausage in the back room.

His mother JoAnn and other family members help pound and bread the chicken cutlets that are used in several sandwiches. "Just like Grandmom used to do it at the house," Ioannoni says.

The steak sandwiches and cold subs are served on soft, crusty rolls made by Amalfitano's, a local New Castle baker. But for the juicy, hot, roast beef and pork sandwiches, Ioannoni needed heartier rolls. "You don't want to be eating [the sandwiches] with a fork and a knife," he said.

During a few recent lunchtime visits, the tables in the casual eatery were often populated by men chowing down on the massive sandwiches, which come on rolls sized from 9 inches to 21-inch whoppers. The phone rings frequently with takeout orders that start coming in at 10 a.m., and the staff is very pleasant and quick.

Right now, I'm addicted to the hand-carved roast beef and broccoli rabe sandwich ($5.85.) The meltingly tender beef, piled high on a roll, is pure food porn. It's the type of sandwich that you want to enjoy all by yourself and not share with others.

Ioannoni should be lauded for his bakery choice when it comes to the 10-inch roll, which absorbs just enough of the meat's jus so that it becomes soft but not at all soggy. The sautéed, garlicky chopped broccoli rabe adds a nice, slightly bitter bite that shouldn't be missed if you want to truly enjoy an old-style Italian treat. And if you're abandoning all calorie counting, ask for the sandwich with sharp or mild provolone cheese.

As a testament to its popularity, the roast pork was sold out on one of my first visits. And while it was worth a return trip, I must admit my heart, and appetite, remains with the roast beef. Still, the lightly seasoned, thinly sliced pork sandwich ($5.85) was very good, and it's almost a crime to pair it with a grating of sharp provolone that threatened to overshadow the flavor of the moist meat.

Ioannoni's has the typical sandwich shop offerings such as Italian subs and cheesesteaks, but try one of its specialty sandwiches. A "Russian cutlet" ($5.75) on the sesame roll was a particular favorite. Fried, white-meat chicken cutlets are sandwiched in a roll slathered with Russian dressing and packed with lettuce, tomatoes and cheese.

Spizzata sandwiches -- veal cubes in a red sauce ($5.50) -- are available during cold weather months, and vegetarians can't go wrong with the "green sandwich" with cheese ($5) -- or broccoli rabe and provolone cheese.

If you're looking to season a sandwich with something a little extra, the shop has tangy horseradish and hot pickled peppers. But try a side order of Ioannoni's homemade "sweets" ($1.25.) The staff fries strips of green bell peppers and marinates the vegetables with a blend of garlic, olive oil and Italian seasonings.

Ioannoni says during warm-weather months he plans to make and serve homemade "hots" by frying sliced strips of fresh hot peppers and marinating them in the same dressing. Woo-hoo. I can't wait.

Contact Patricia Talorico at 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com . Watch her food segments on 90-second Weekend Thursdays-Sundays at www.delawareonline.com .

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